THE Yorkshire Festival has picked up a trophy at the prestigious UK Event Awards in London.

The arts and cultural festival which ran in the lead up to the Grand Départ won the award for Cultural Event of the Year.

The UK Events Awards recognise and reward the best of Britain’s events industry.

The Yorkshire Festival, supported by the Arts Council England, Yorkshire Water and Yorkshire’s Local Authorities, ran for 100 days showcasing performances, exhibitions and events.

It was the first ever cultural festival to accompany the Tour de France in its 111-year history.

Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, who came up with the idea for a festival, said: “I am extremely pleased to see that the Yorkshire Festival has been awarded this accolade. It is a true testament to all the people involved and the hard work that went in to ensuring that the event was as successful as it was.”